diff --git a/src/handlebars-utils.js b/src/handlebars-utils.js
index 105bf1b..a6b6bef 100644
--- a/src/handlebars-utils.js
+++ b/src/handlebars-utils.js
@@ -35,32 +35,32 @@ HandlebarsUtils.rawEndBlockRegExp = /^\{\{\{\{\/([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>@\[\
 /* '{{{' '~'? 'space'* '@'? 'space'* ('not {}~'+) 'space'* ('not {}~'+) '~'? non-greedy '}}}' and not follow by '}' */
 HandlebarsUtils.RAW_EXPRESSION = 1; // {{{expression}}}
 // HandlebarsUtils.rawExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{\{\s*([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>\[\\\]\^`\{\|\}\~]+)\s*?\}\}\}(?!})/;
-HandlebarsUtils.rawExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{\{~?\s*@?\s*([^\s\}\{~]+)\s*([^\}\{~]*)~??\}\}\}(?!})/;
+HandlebarsUtils.rawExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{\{~?\s*@?\s*([^\s\}\{~]+)\s*([^\}\{~]*)~?\}\}\}(?!})/;
 
-/* '{{' '~'? 'space'* '@'? 'space'* ('not {}~'+) 'space'* ('not {}~'+) '~'? non-greedy '}}' and not follow by '}' */
+/* '{{' '~'? 'space'* '@'? 'space'* ('not {}~'+) '~'? non-greedy '}}' and not follow by '}' */
 HandlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION = 2; // {{expression}}
-HandlebarsUtils.escapeExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?\s*@?\s*([^\s\}\{~]+)\s*([^\}\{~]*)~??\}\}(?!})/;
+HandlebarsUtils.escapeExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?\s*@?\s*([^\}\{~]+)~?\}\}(?!})/;
 
 /* '{{' '~'? '>' '\s'* ('not \s, special-char'+) '\s'* 'not ~{}'* non-greedy '}}' and not follow by '}' */
 HandlebarsUtils.PARTIAL_EXPRESSION = 3; // {{>.*}}
-HandlebarsUtils.partialExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?>\s*([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>@\[\\\]\^`\{\|\}\~]+)\s*[^~\}\{]*~??\}\}(?!})/;
+HandlebarsUtils.partialExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?>\s*([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>@\[\\\]\^`\{\|\}\~]+)\s*[^~\}\{]*~?\}\}(?!})/;
 
 /* '{{' '~'? '&' '\s'* ('not \s, special-char'+) '\s'* 'not ~{}'* non-greedy '}}' and not follow by '}' */
 HandlebarsUtils.REFERENCE_EXPRESSION = 11; // {{&.*}}
-HandlebarsUtils.referenceExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?&\s*([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>@\[\\\]\^`\{\|\}\~]+)\s*[^~\}\{]*~??\}\}(?!})/;
+HandlebarsUtils.referenceExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?&\s*([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>@\[\\\]\^`\{\|\}\~]+)\s*[^~\}\{]*~?\}\}(?!})/;
 
 /* '{{' '~'? '# or ^' '\s'* ('not \s, special-char'+) '\s'* 'not {}~'* '~'? non-greedy '}}' and not follow by '}' */
 HandlebarsUtils.BRANCH_EXPRESSION = 4; // {{#.*}}, {{^.*}}
-HandlebarsUtils.branchExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?[#|\^]\s*([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>@\[\\\]\^`\{\|\}\~]+)\s*[^\}\{~]*~??\}\}(?!})/;
+HandlebarsUtils.branchExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?[#|\^]\s*([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>@\[\\\]\^`\{\|\}\~]+)\s*[^\}\{~]*~?\}\}(?!})/;
 /* '{{' '~'? '/' '\s'* ('not \s, special-char'+) '\s'* 'not {}~'* '~'? non-greedy '}}' and not follow by '}' */
 HandlebarsUtils.BRANCH_END_EXPRESSION = 5; // {{/.*}}
-HandlebarsUtils.branchEndExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?\/\s*([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>@\[\\\]\^`\{\|\}\~]+)\s*[^\}\{~]*~??\}\}(?!})/;
+HandlebarsUtils.branchEndExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?\/\s*([^\s!"#%&'\(\)\*\+,\.\/;<=>@\[\\\]\^`\{\|\}\~]+)\s*[^\}\{~]*~?\}\}(?!})/;
 
 /* '{{' '~'? '\s'* 'else' '\s'* 'not {}~'* '~'? non-greedy '}}' and not follow by '}' */
 HandlebarsUtils.ELSE_EXPRESSION = 6; // {{else}}, {{^}}
-HandlebarsUtils.elseExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?\s*else\s*[^\}\{~]*~??\}\}(?!})/;
+HandlebarsUtils.elseExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?\s*else\s*[^\}\{~]*~?\}\}(?!})/;
 /* '{{' '~'? '^'{1} '~'? non-greedy '}}' and not follow by '}' */
-HandlebarsUtils.elseShortFormExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?\^{1}~??\}\}(?!})/;
+HandlebarsUtils.elseShortFormExpressionRegExp = /^\{\{~?\^{1}~?\}\}(?!})/;
 
 /* '{{' '~'? '!--' */
 HandlebarsUtils.COMMENT_EXPRESSION_LONG_FORM = 7; // {{!--.*--}}
@@ -121,7 +121,12 @@ HandlebarsUtils.isValidExpression = function(input, i, type) {
             break;
         case HandlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION:
             re = HandlebarsUtils.escapeExpressionRegExp.exec(s);
-            if (re !== null && re[1] !== undefined) {
+            if (re) {
+                // NOTE: the re.index field is never been used.
+                var r = HandlebarsUtils.parseEscapeExpression(re[1]);
+                re[1] = r[1];
+                re[2] = r[2];
+
                 if (HandlebarsUtils.isReservedChar(re[1], 0)) {
                     re.tag = false;
                     re.isSingleID = false;
@@ -177,6 +182,31 @@ HandlebarsUtils.isValidExpression = function(input, i, type) {
     return re;
 };
 
+// @function HandlebarsUtils.parseEscapeExpression
+HandlebarsUtils.parseEscapeExpression = function(str) {
+  var j=0, inSquareBracket = false,
+      fstr = '', re = [];
+
+  // the new regexp will capture the tailing space.
+  str = str.replace(/\s+$/, '');
+  while(j<str.length) {
+      // space is defined as \s in the handlebars lex
+      if (str[j].match(/\s/) && !inSquareBracket) {
+          break;
+      } else if (str[j] === '[') {
+          inSquareBracket = true;
+      } else if (str[j] === ']') {
+          inSquareBracket = false;
+      }
+      fstr += str[j];
+      ++j;
+  }
+
+  re[1] = fstr;
+  re[2] = str.substring(j).replace(/^\s+/, '').replace(/\s+$/, '');
+  return re;
+};
+
 // @function HandlebarsUtils.isReservedChar
 HandlebarsUtils.isReservedChar = function(input, i) {
     var ch = input[i];
diff --git a/tests/test-patterns.js b/tests/test-patterns.js
index c54f6a4..09b4736 100644
--- a/tests/test-patterns.js
+++ b/tests/test-patterns.js
@@ -11,6 +11,12 @@ var handlebarsUtils = require('../src/handlebars-utils'),
 
 // for handlebars-3.0-spec test only
 var expressionTestPatterns = [
+
+    // NOTE: result[0]: it is being used in run-handlebars-3.0-spec.js for the AST object type from Handlebars 3.0
+    //       result[1]: it is being used in run-utils-spec.js for isValidExpression test.
+    //       result[2]: it is being used in run-cph-spec.js for consumeExpression test.
+    //       Empty string represents not being used in the unit tests testing.
+
     // valid syntax
     { syntax: '{{escapeexpression}}  ', type: '', rstr: '', result: [ 'MustacheStatement', '', '' ]},
     { syntax: '{{&escapeexpression}} ', type: '', rstr: '', result: [ 'MustacheStatement', '', '' ]},
@@ -238,48 +244,57 @@ exports.rawEndBlockTestPatterns = rawEndBlockTestPatterns;
 
 var escapeExpressionTestPatterns = [
     // valid syntax
-    { syntax: '{{expression}}               ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{expression}}               ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // it is fine to have space in the expression
-    { syntax: '{{  expression   }}          ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{  expression   }}          ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // it is fine to have whitespace control in the expression.
-    { syntax: '{{~ expression  ~}}          ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{~ expression  ~}}          ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // private variable  
-    { syntax: '{{@expression}}              ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{@expression}}              ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // private variable with space before  
-    { syntax: '{{@  expression  }}          ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{@  expression  }}          ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // private variable with space after/before  
-    { syntax: '{{  @  expression  }}        ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{  @  expression  }}        ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'expression', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // dot as the ID
-    { syntax: '{{.}}                        ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: '.',          isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{.}}                        ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: '.',          isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // with / as separator 
-    { syntax: '{{../name}}                  ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: '../name',    isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
-    { syntax: '{{../name ../name}}          ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: '../name',    isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{../name}}                  ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: '../name',    isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
+    { syntax: '{{../name ../name}}          ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: '../name',    isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // with dot as separator 
-    { syntax: '{{article.title}}            ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article.title', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{article.title}}            ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article.title', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // with / as separator 
-    { syntax: '{{article/title}}            ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article/title', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{article/title}}            ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article/title', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // with dot as separator and index
-    { syntax: '{{article.[10].[#comments]}} ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article.[10].[#comments]', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{article.[10].[#comments]}} ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article.[10].[#comments]', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // 2 expressions
-    { syntax: '{{exp1 exp2}}                ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{exp1 exp2}}                ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // 3 expressions
-    { syntax: '{{exp1 exp2 exp3}}           ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{exp1 exp2 exp3}}           ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // expression with param
-    { syntax: '{{exp1 (param1)}}            ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{exp1 (param1)}}            ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // expression with data param
-    { syntax: '{{exp1 (@param1)}}           ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{exp1 (@param1)}}           ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
     // expression with 2 params
-    { syntax: '{{exp1 (param1 param2)}}     ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{exp1 (param1 param2)}}     ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
 
     // reserved char
-    { syntax: '{{/exp1}}                    ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ false, false, 11 ]},
-    { syntax: '{{#exp1}}                    ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ false, false, 11 ]},
-    { syntax: '{{>exp1}}                    ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ 'PartialStatement', false, 11 ]},
-    { syntax: '{{!exp1}}                    ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ 'CommentStatement', false, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{/exp1}}                    ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ false, false, '' ]},
+    { syntax: '{{#exp1}}                    ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ false, false, '' ]},
+    { syntax: '{{>exp1}}                    ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ 'PartialStatement', false, '' ]},
+    { syntax: '{{!exp1}}                    ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ 'CommentStatement', false, '' ]},
     // it is fine to pass util test, as Handlebars parser will fails the second &exp2
-    { syntax: '{{exp1 &exp2}}               ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1',isSingleID: false, result: [ false, true, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{exp1 &exp2}}               ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'exp1',isSingleID: false, result: [ false, true, '' ]},
     // we skip this pattern
-    { syntax: '{{}}                         ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ false, false, 11 ]},
+    { syntax: '{{}}                         ', type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: false, isSingleID: false, result: [ false, false, '' ]},
+
+    { syntax: '{{article.[a b].[c d]            }} ',      
+        type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article.[a b].[c d]', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
+    { syntax: '{{article.[a b].[c d]     something    }} ', 
+        type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article.[a b].[c d]', isSingleID: false, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
+    { syntax: '{{article/[a b]}} ',      
+        type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article/[a b]', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
+    { syntax: '{{article.[a\rb]}} ',      
+        type: handlebarsUtils.ESCAPE_EXPRESSION, rstr: 'article.[a\rb]', isSingleID: true, result: [ 'MustacheStatement', true, '' ]},
 ];
 exports.escapeExpressionTestPatterns = escapeExpressionTestPatterns;